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This is why the drumbeat on FOLIOmag.com about VanityFair’s and the New York Times’s green issues and recycled paper (orthe lack thereof) is so off the mark.For better or worse, green issues aren’t about public advocacy. Seriously, how can Madonna, who has a privatejet and at least five enormous homes, be the cover girl for conservation? The big publishers’ green issues are about selling pages toadvertisers who want to be associated with green content. And until thoseadvertisers demand that their ads be printed on recycled paper (and provide therevenue that offsets the increased cost), the green issues will keep coming outon the same paper stock as every other issue.In the meantime, please pick up the “Better Planet” issue ofDiscover on newsstands now. We areprinted on FSC-certified paper and, after an extensive survey of our greenhousegas emissions, purchased a carbon offset from carbonfund.org. You can also click over to our Better Planet blog orenter our GreenScience Fair.Happy Earth Day. I rarely rise in defense of Condé Nast. Wired is an especially nasty competitor of Discover, even though their sciencecoverage is a small part of their tech culture package. The NewYorker also competes with us for ad pages.You have to give them their due, though. From my perspective, they are by far the mosteffective spokespeople in the world for the power of magazines. Their editors are industry giants whostraddle the worlds of media, fashion and entertainment. Do you ever hear Anna Wintour or GraydonCarter whining to the trades about the growing influence of blogs or some otherpiece of Internet hype? I don’t thinkso. I would be surprised if there were many tables set aside for bloggers atthe Waverly Inn.More importantly, every bit of Condé Nast’s DNA is attunedto extracting maximum dollars from advertisers.As I pointed out in a blogpost a couple of months ago, along with your 12x schedule, Condé candeliver an integrated program featuring Beyoncecaressing your product online, polybagged and on national TV.read more

The Valve Index is for PC gamers who use Steam VR…and you may not need all its parts. Sarah Tew/CNET There are plenty of PC-connected VR headsets, and most of them work the same way: a set of full-motion controllers, a bulky head display that has a long thick cord going to your PC. Maybe it has extra room sensors you need to set up. Maybe it doesn’t. The Valve Index is not much different from other PC VR headsets in that regard (see also: Oculus Rift S, HTC Vive, or Microsoft’s VR offerings). It’s not wireless, it doesn’t have eye tracking, and it hasn’t reinvented a way to not be a bulky, cabled headset.But it is probably one of the best PC VR headsets of the moment, and its wild new controllers feel like the future.And yet I recently had a realization I never thought of the first time I tried the hardware weeks ago: this doesn’t feel like a new system. That’s because you don’t need to buy all of it if you’re already someone who owns an HTC Vive.Now that the Valve Index is available (although current shipping times put new orders into mid-September), here’s my guide on how to consider whether to buy it — or which part of it.All the stuff in the Valve Index $999 package (you don’t need the sensor boxes if you already own a Vive). Scott Stein/CNET Welcome to the modular VR world of SteamI mean, of course, Valve Index is a new VR system. Index is a new head-mounted display, there are new controllers, and there’s a $1,000 box that includes all of this along with little boxes to mount in your room to track your movements.But what’s cool about the Index is it’s all made on the same Steam VR platform that the HTC Vive uses. You could mix and match Vive hardware and Valve Index hardware. This is, in a way, an HTC Vive 2.HTC isn’t making the Valve Index, to be clear. Vive still exists, and Valve Index will exist alongside it. But you can mix and match Vive and Valve Index hardware, both of which use Steam VR. Which means, if you already own a Vive, and you’re Valve Index-curious, you may want to just buy the Index’s super-cool new controllers instead, spend $279, and consider that your upgrade.Take a look at Valve’s different piecemeal part offerings for yourself. It felt a little tight-fitting over my glasses. Sarah Tew/CNET Index headset: Excellent video and audio, but…The Valve Index’s headset does look great, optically. The LCD resolution is sharp (1,440×1,600, same as the Vive Pro and Oculus Rift S, but lower-res than the HP Reverb), and the extra field of view (about 130 degrees) reduces the VR scuba-goggles feel. A faster 120Hz frame rate makes things feel even smoother-moving and more present (there’s an experimental 144Hz mode in Steam VR, but I haven’t felt the need). The hovering pull-down speakers on the sides deliver booming, crisp sound. In that sense, it’s a head-mounted display that feels really good.However, the Valve Index lacks a few things. It’s not wireless, which means you need a cable tether. The Index’s streamlined cable setup skips the clunkier breakout box on the Vive, but it’s still a big cable (it needs DisplayPort 1.2 and USB 3.0 on your PC, plus a power outlet to power the headset).The Index also lacks eye tracking, a technology that should greatly impact control and graphics quality in future VR. Eye tracking isn’t really in non-enterprise VR yet (the Vive Pro Eye has eye tracking but only for enterprise use, and it costs a fortune). But still, it’s a missing feature.The Index doesn’t do self-contained room tracking, either. The Oculus Rift S and Microsoft’s VR headsets like the HP Reverb use cameras in the headset, and that’s it. The Valve Index still needs little light-emitting boxes to be installed in the room you’re in. It’s the same tech, basically, that the original 2016 Vive used. The 2.0 version of these sensor boxes can enable a large room to turn into a holodeck, and the tracking is really good — but it’s extra gear you need to set up.Finally, like most VR headsets, even though the resolution’s good, it’s not “retina-level.” Meaning, you can still see pixels. I’ve only ever seen one retina-level VR headset, and it costs $6,000. Someday, it’ll arrive to all headsets. Again, just a reminder that the Index isn’t the uber-headset.These are excellent controllers. Not many games take advantage of the wild finger tracking yet. Sarah Tew/CNET The controllers are great upgrades, but app support variesThe Valve Index controllers, as I’ve said, feel like the overdue sequel to the original Vive VR controllers. They’re great, they feel comfy and can track all your fingers like magic gloves. They can register force when you squeeze them. They feel like the future of VR input.They also have some nice extras that the Vive controllers lack, like buttons and analog sticks. That makes them serve as more-capable game controllers, much like the Oculus Touch controllers.It’s great that these controllers can work with all the games and apps that support Vive’s controllers, so there’s a deep library to tap into. They can be your Vive replacement controllers, easily.But that being said, only a handful of games take advantage of the Index controllers’ unique qualities right now. A list, if you’re curious:Space JunkiesMuseum of Other Realities#SkiJumpGarden of the SeaVacation SimulatorFujiiTrover Saves the UniverseAperture Hand LabsShadow Legend VRVRChatOnwardPavlov VRArizona SunshineSpace Pirate TrainerFruit Ninja VRSuperHot VRHot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand GrenadesPokerStars VRVanishing RealmsCosmic TripNeos VRAccounting+Job SimulatorTilt BrushJet IslandDuck SeasonWindlands 2MossEcho GrottoBlade & SorceryBigscreen BetaClimbeyBeat SaberCompoundAnd, even in that list, some games don’t really do much with the extra finger tracking. The brilliant Aperture Hand Lab is a great demo app that shows what experiences could do when designed with these controllers in mind. But how many games and apps will bother to do that?The Valve Index controllers have analog sticks and buttons and a trackpad, a big improvement on Vive’s older controllers. Sarah Tew/CNET Not the same wireless freedom as Oculus QuestThis is a totally unfair comparison… but the $399 Oculus Quest, all self-contained and wireless, not needing any PC at all, was a more surprising experience to me than Valve Index. I love the Quest’s easy-on, instant-start satisfaction. Admittedly, it’s a totally different proposition: it’s using a mobile chip and has a limited closed-off curated library of games. It’s not as powerful as Valve Index.Again, sorry for the comparison. But I want VR to become more effortless and wire-free, easy to be immersed in. Valve Index isn’t that. You need a PC. You need those sensor boxes in your room. There’s a long, thick cable. It is, however, an improved set of hardware that the Steam VR platform needed, and those Index controllers are really great. I just don’t know, at this point, whether it’s worth your money to dive in. Computers Gaming Post a comment 0 Tags Share your voice Steam Valve Virtual Reality HTCread more

“It is also highly possible for personality scores to be weaponized within an organization and used to justify either progress or lack of progress at a company level,” Dr. Gaither explained. “This is problematic as it sends the message that employees are static and unchangeable, going against messages of improvement and growth that other research highlights are necessary to encourage productive, positive and inclusive work spaces.” Read the whole story: The New York Times … “When thinking about different assessments, race/ethnicity, gender, region, socioeconomic status and disability can all impact not only how someone interprets a question when taking a given assessment, but it can also color how someone interprets a score,” Dr. Gaither said. The assessment concluded that I was an I.N.T.J. (Introversion, Intuition, Thinking, Judgment.) At the retreat, we were all encouraged to share our results with one another as we participated in various team-building activities. I reluctantly revealed mine, as I wondered how this detailed profile of my personality traits and communication style would translate to my colleagues. Not only was I the sole black woman in the organization, a demographic notoriously misunderstood in the workplace, I now had the additional strike of being outed as an introvert, in the company of extroverts. Several experts have questioned the validity of assessments like the M.B.T.I. in the workplace, including Sarah Gaither, an assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University. Dr. Gaither maintains there is little evidence a personality assessment actually predicts job-related performance. My first experience taking the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (M.B.T.I.) was at a job where it was mandatory. The company’s chief executive announced that all employees would take the test as part of a quarterly staff retreat.read more

Kolkata: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) will launch a special drive to create awareness among the consumers to purchase hallmarked jewellery on the occasion of Akshay Tritiya. A meeting was held between senior BIS officials and some jewellers at the Eastern Regional Office on Tuesday afternoon. BIS officials Vishnu Gupta, NK Kansara, KK Paul and Kunal Kumar spoke to jewelers Samar De and Subir Sen and others on the issue. The Government of India started BIS Hallmarking Scheme in the year 2000 to protect the consumers against becoming a victim to inferior quality gold or silver. This scheme is presently voluntary but according to the BIS officials, they have appealed for it to become mandatory. BIS official, Vishnu Gupta, spoke about the precautions that a customer must take into account whilst purchasing hallmark jewellery. The purchased jewellery must have all the 4 symbols of hallmark, which are the BIS Standard Mark, Purity in carat, Assay Centre’s identification mark and jeweller’s identification mark. Customer should also be aware that the concerned jewellery shop must have the sign of hallmarked licence on their board prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards. The cash memo provided to them must be checked and a proper invoice should be kept for further verifications, if the hallmarked jewellery is under suspicion. The hallmarking charges per article for gold are Rs 35 and Rs 25 for silver.The officials said 21,641 hallmark jewellery license holders are present in India and BIS hopes that this number will increase due to this awareness drive.read more

Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor ushered in his birthday with son Ranbir and wife Neetu. The actor, who turned 62 on Friday, posted a picture along with the Bombay Velvet star and Neetu.“This afternoon at the Le Petit Maison. Thank you Ranbir for coming early,” Rishi posted on twitter alongside the picture in which the trio are seen posing in a restaurant.Neetu took to Instagram and shared the same picture with the caption, “Rans joins in for his Dad s birthday celebrations!!! Bless him. 4rth sep.”read more

BALURGHAT: A group of miscreants allegedly led by some BJP activists attacked the house of Trinamool MLA of Itahar in North Dinajpur, Amal Acharjee, on Tuesday night.The goons had allegedly pelted stones and hurled bombs targeting the house. Acharjee is also the Trinamool Congress district president of North Dinajpur. Acharjee has filed an official complaint with the police on Wednesday. According to a police source, the BJP had conducted a victory rally after forming the Panchayat board in Itahar, while miscreants led by party activists targetted Acharjee’s house. Notably, the BJP had bagged 13 seats and formed the board of Itahar Gram Panchayat on Tuesday. Trinamool had won in 12 seats. “Itahar is a peaceful area. The BJP after capturing the Gram Panchayat started terrorising Trinamool voters, leaders and workers. We will not tolerate this. Trinamool is against any such activity. I have urged the police for strict legal action against those who were behind the crime,” Acharjee said.read more

Free Webinar | Sept 5: Tips and Tools for Making Progress Toward Important Goals 5 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. February 8, 2016 Is your business missing valuable revenue methods and opportunities to cut down on your bottom-line expenses because you haven’t maximized on B2B ecommerce opportunities? Derek Griffin, founder and president of Speartek, one of the country’s leading B2B ecommerce development shops, recently enlightened me on just how much money is being on the left on the table.Related: B2B e-commerce platform to be launched in China by Bizpluss.inFor 2014, Forrester research has estimated, U.S. B2B online sales revenues were about $1 trillion, and consumer ecommerce revenues, about $262 million. Those staggering statistics help illustrate how quickly B2B, or wholesale ecommerce, is being adopted.Think your company could benefit from boosting its own B2B online orders? Check out these insights from Griffin; then, you decide.1. Create an easy-to-use interface.B2B buyers are ordering from a large number of vendors, and they will gravitate to the ones with the solid technology that allows them to efficiently handle orders and reorders online. Some buyers will even change vendors based on the ease of online ordering.Explains Griffin, “We no longer live in a world where the personal relationship is the key reason someone does business with a company. Sometimes there is no relationship at all.”2. Integrate with an accounting or ERP system. Automating the data transfer of orders is very important in all ecommerce, for multiple reasons. “In consumer transactions, the dollar amount of the order is less, but there are far more transactions, so it helps to eliminate the data entry cost,” Griffin says. “In B2B, there aren’t as many orders, but the number of line-items can be significant, so having those orders feed into an accounting or ERP system is key.” 3. Increase cash-flow speed.Need faster cash flow? As Griffin points out, “If the order automatically goes into the warehouse to be picked, packed and shipped, you speed up your revenue cycle in booking the sale and getting paid, improving cash flow by one to three days, depending on the organization and other automation.”4. Make your product visible to wholesale buyers online.Making your product accessible to wholesale buyers is just as strong a reason to get your products online. “Increased revenue from online sales is a reality, although not the only reason to pursue this,” Griffin says. “Many B2B buyers research their product choices online and often find new products and lines, making buying decisions without ever seeing a product in person. “While many buyers still attend product- and industry-related tradeshows, that is no longer the sole or even primary method of product sourcing.”5. See operational cost savings.“The operational cost-savings of implementing B2B ecommerce and integrating those transactions to accounting or ERP systems can give a higher return on investment than even the revenue impact,” Griffin says. “By eliminating the manual processing of orders, business owners save payroll costs, eliminate expensive order-entry errors and improve customer service.“This does require that buyers be educated and informed that the preferred method of submitting orders is online. Even offering financial incentives or preferential treatment of orders can change customer habits.” Related: The Missing Ingredient in B2B’s Trillion-Dollar Industry6. Increase your potential for scalability.Scalability becomes a serious reality with technology. When orders flow into the system without the need for a customer service representative to enter the data or take the order over the phone, the business is able to grow its top line without additional administrative overhead, allowing the additional profit margin to fall almost entirely to the bottom line. “We had a client grow revenue by over 20 percent,” Griffin says — noting that the actual figure was $2 million — “without adding a single person to payroll because they had automated the order entry process.”7. See real ROI on your development costs.“B2B buyers may live in a procurement world by day, but they are savvy online shoppers by night,” Griffin says. “They have grown accustomed to a user-friendly, customer-focused shopping experience.”It is not enough to just have online ordering for your customers; they have to find that process easy to use. “We have built several sites that had online revenue growth rates, [increasing] from 50 percent to 500 percent in six months after launching an improved website design and ordering experience,” Griffin reports.”While this was revenue from existing customers, and not a bump in overall topline revenue, the operational cost savings paid for the project, and in some cases many times over,” he adds.8. Consider the mobile experience. Mobile shopping can’t be ignored, even for B2B. “Consumer ecommerce sites may have mobile users representing 30 to 50 percent of their website visits,” Griffin says. “This is usually lower for B2B, but 20 percent is not unusual. And if a business had 5,000 website visits per month, that would represent 1,000 visitors that needed an experience that matches their device.”Those stats,” Griffin concludes, “must be considered in either building your next site or even adding a mobile experience to an existing one.”Related: 3 Fatal Ecommerce Mistakes You Must Not Make Attend this free webinar and learn how you can maximize efficiency while getting the most critical things done right. Register Now »read more